Big Ten reportedly expanding to 18 teams with Oregon and Washington

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One year before USC and UCLA join the Big Ten, the conference is expanding again with two more teams from the Pac-12.

Big Ten presidents and chancellors joined an impromptu conference call Friday to discuss adding Oregon and Washington to the conference, according to multiple reports. A few hours later, the league officially invited the schools to join the conference and both unanimously accepted the invitation. They will join in August 2024.

The Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors are pleased to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference. When considering the full spectrum of academic, athletic and research excellence, the alignment with our member institutions is extremely clear. We are excited to welcome them and look forward to collaborating and competing with them in the years ahead.
Robert Jones, COP/C Chair and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor

Several outlets are reporting the Pac-12 was unable to sign a ‘Grant of Rights’ deal Friday morning that would have kept the conference in tact. Colorado left the Pac-12 last week for the Big 12. Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are reportedly on the verge of doing the same, which would leave the Pac-12 with four teams when the dust settles.

Accepting membership into the Big Ten Conference is a transformational opportunity for the University of Oregon to change the short and long-term trajectory of our university and athletics department. The stability and exposure of joining the Big Ten is of great benefit to the University of Oregon, and we are grateful to the Big Ten presidents and chancellors for accepting our application to join the conference. We look forward to the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in this conference.
Rob Mullens, University of Oregon Athletic Director

Even though the Big Ten has traditionally been considered a Midwest league, expansion in the past 35 years has brought Penn State in 1990, Nebraska in 2011, and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014. Ohio State has been a part of it since 1912.

The college athletics landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. The Big Ten’s history of athletic and academic success and long-term stability best positions our teams for future success, and we are energized at the opportunity to compete at the highest level against some of the best programs in the country.
Jen Cohen, University of Washington Athletic Director

The current membership consists of:

Ohio State
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Penn State
Purdue
Rutgers
Wisconsin

UCLA and USC joining the Big Ten was set in motion after Texas and Oklahoma announced they would leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference in 2025, bringing the SEC to 16 members.

Further expansion came just a few months after the Big Ten signed the most lucrative television rights deal in history with CBS, Fox and NBC. Big Ten schools will receive a minimum of $50 million a year with that number expected to grow annually.

Ohio State has two games confirmed on NBC this fall against Notre Dame and Michigan State and a third game at Wisconsin is reportedly scheduled.